The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #66500

Michelle Robyn Castaneda, EdM¹, Virginia R Chomitz, PhD¹, Juhee Kim, MS¹, J. Walker², and Karen Ann Hacker, MD, MPH¹. (1) Institute for Community Health, 119 Windsor Street, Ground Level, Cambridge, MA 02139, (617) 665-3804, mcastaneda@challiance.org, (2) Cambridgewalks, Cambridge Public Health Department, 119 Windsor Street, Ground Level, Cambridge, MA 02139

With national attention being drawn to childhood obesity, campaigns like International Walk Your Child to School Day are of increasing relevance to the health of children in schools. Objective: This evaluation measured the impact of this event on student walking and assessed potential supports and barriers to walking to school. Parents and students were surveyed at six Cambridge, Massachusetts public elementary schools (K-8). Student surveys: 787 students in 37 classrooms were surveyed one week prior, the day of, and one week after the event regarding transportation to school. Approximately 5.8% more children walked on the day of the event; this increase was sustained marginally a week later (+0.9%). Driving decreased by 3.5% and busing by 1.9%. Parent surveys: 209 parent surveys were obtained; analysis focused on 103 surveys from parents of non-bus-eligible children (ages 4-14) since they live less than a mile from school. Of these respondents, 89.1% intended for their children to participate in the event and 23.7% believed their children were more likely to continue walking in the next 30 days because of the event. Parents identified factors that might increase their children’s walking: 41.7% indicated more crossing guards, 35.9% specified other adults accompanying their children, and 48.5% said other children walking with their children. Parent concerns about children’s walking included maturity, safety, environmental conditions, and proximity to school. Conclusions: This community-based effort increased awareness and student walking temporarily. More research and discussion among school and community leaders must be undertaken to determine the efficacy of this approach.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to:
• Describe the potential of walking promotion events to temporarily increase walking.
• Analyze and discuss the value of a one-day event to promote walking behaviors.
• List one community's parent perceptions of possible enhancers of children’s walking to school.

Keywords: Health Promotion, School-Based Programs

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.